Side-seaming press



.Dern 11:1928.

` B. J, UNDGREN 1,694,862

SIDE SEAMING PRESS Filed April 4. 1927 4 sheets-sheet 1 mul : B. J. LINDGREN SIDE SEAMING PRESS Filed April 4, 1927 4 sheets-fanno; 3

B. J. LINDGREN SIDE SEAMING PRES Filed .April 4, 192'? 4 sheets-(sneer. 4

Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

`UNITED STATES PATENT oF-FICE i BRR J. LINDGREN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To NIAGARA MAOHINE &

TOOL WORKS, oF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION oF NEW YORK.-

SIDE-SEAMING 15a-Ess.

Application mea April 4, 192i. serial No. iae; y

This invention relates to aside seaming press which is more partici'ilarly adapted for side seaming sheet metal cones which are made from a flat metal blank,.although the same may also be designed for side seaming sheet metal tubes of cylindrical form.

It is the purpose of this invention vto provide a machine of this character whereby the operation of forming the-hooks on the opposing longitudinal edges of the tubular blank and the operation of interlocking said hooks and seaming them may be performed easily, expeditiously, and with a minimum expenditure of power and thereby effecting a considerable economy in the cost of doing such work.

In the accompanying drawings:

' Figurel is a perspective view of aportion of a press equipped with my invention. Figure 2 is a top plan view of the lower dies and adjacent parts of the means where? by the hooks are formed on the sheet metal blank, this view being taken on line 2 3, Fig. 1, looking downwardly. Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the lupper dies and adjacent parts of the means for forming said hooks, the .view` beingV taken on line 2-3 *looking upwardly. Figure 4 is a vertical Atransverse section taken on line l1, Fig. 8, showing both the hook' forming and seaming mechanism in anopen position,and the blank in position for forming hooks thereon. Figure 5 is a similar view showing the press closed and the hooks formed on the opposite longitudinal edges of lthe I tubular blank. Figure 6 is a similar view showing the press open and the hooks of the tubular blank loosely interlocked preparatory to seaming the same. Figure 7 is a similar view showing theV press closed and the interlocked hooks of the tubular blank seamed together. Figure 8 fis-a vertical longitudinal section of the press taken on line 8-8, Fig. 1, and showing the hook forming and seaming dies in an open position. Figure 9 is a fragmentaryvertical longitudinal section taken on line 9 9, Fig. 2. Figure 10 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank from which the cone is made. Figures 11, 12, and 13 are perspective views representing the different stages of the operations `performed on the blank for completing the form of the same., n

In the following description similar characters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the dr'awi-I'igs. The sheet metal blank shown in Fig. 10 isan 'example of one adapted to be operated upon for prodlicing a'l conical metal tube. 'This blank has the'form lof a "circiilar disk 2'() which is somewhat more'than half a circle in circumference and provided with ya curved inner edge 21 of srnalldiameter, a c'u'rved outer edge 22 of large diameter, yand two radial or longitndinal` ed es 23, 24'connecting corresponding ends o? the inner and outer edges of the disk so that .the saine a" proximates the form of a crescent. `This .bankis first bent by a bending or rolling machine in any approved manner so that the ,sa'me forms a cone which is open at opposite yends kand the longitudinal edges of the blank Vlap `one `over the other, as 'shown in Fig. 11@ The conical blank is now placed' inthe present press and parts of the 4Inechar'ii-sn loperate toform an outstanding flange. or hook 25' On'the by the flanges or hooks are caused to interlock withl each other and bec'omeseamedtogether Vand thereby` complete the' conical tube', asshown at 19 in Fig. 13.

The press whereby these hook forming and seaming operations are performed in ac-r cordance with my invention" is preferably constructed as follows: j l

The numeral 27 represents the main frame ofthe press u pon the lower part 28 of which some ofthe working mechanism is mounted and upon the upper part of which is guided a vertically movable plunger or slide' 29 carrying other members of the working mechanism, these eleinents of the press being` of usual and well known construction. Pro-k jecting forwardly from the lower'part 2'8 of thev main frame is a horn or arm 30 which tapers forwardly and has a horizontal upper side' and an inclined underside.` yThe horn is provided at the rear end with a cylindrical horizontal shank 3'1`which isseated in a correspondingly shaped socket 32 in the main frame and is capable of vlongitudinal adjustment and alsol turning therein for accuratelyv adapting the partsy on the` 'li'orn for cooperation with the other parts of ,the machine.l For thispu'rpose the horn is'provided on its opposite sides with shoulders 33 adapted to engage either directly with the front side of the frame, as shown in Fig. 2, or against shiins or fillers placed between their shoulders and the front side of the frame, and a clamping screw 34 connected with the rear end of the shank 3l and bearing with its head against a cross piece 35 bearing against the rear end of the socket, as shown in Fig. 8. By turning the shank in the socket and adjusting the horn lengthwise therein the horn can be shifted circumferentially and longitudinally for bringing the parts mounted thereon into the desired position relative to other working parts of the press.

On its upper side the horn is provided with means for engaging the inner side of the interlocked flanges or hooks of the blank and seaming the same in co-operation with other parts. In the preferred form of these inner or lower seaming means the saine consist of a lower longitudinal flattening block 36 which is seated in a rabbet 37 in the upper side of the horn and has its upper side llush therewith. This block may be held in place by one or more screws 38 connecting the same with the horn. Adjacent to one side of the lower flattening block, preferably the right side thereof, the horn has a longitudinal groove 39 which extends underA neath this block and in this groove is arranged a vertically movable gage 40 having the form of a bar which is yieldingly held in its elevated position by one or more springs 4l arranged. between the underside of this gage and pockets 42 in the bottom of the gage groove, as shown in Figs. 4-8. In its operative position the gage projects with its upper edge above the lower flattening block, as shown in Fig. 4. and its movement in this direction under the action of the springs 4l is limited by a shoulder 43 on the gage striking the underside of the lower flattening block, as shown in Fig. 4.

Movable toward and from the upper side ci' the horn is an intermediate bracket or carrier 44 which carries means adapted to co-operate with those on the horn for flattening and seaming the interlocked hooks oi' the blank and also means forming part of the mechanism for producing hooks on the blank. Thisbracket is movable vertically and for this purpose is preferably guided by means of two vertical guide bars 45 projecting downwardly from opposite corners of the rear end of the bracket and engaging with guide grooves or ways 46 arranged on opposite sides of the rear part oit the horn. rlhis bracket is yieldingly held in its elevated inoperative position by one or more springs 47 `bearing attheir lower ends against the upper side of the horn and at their upper ends against a lifting bar 48 secured crosswise to the rear part of the bracket or carrier. The upward movement of the bracket or carrier under the action of the springs 47 is limited by a stop bar 49 se cured crosswise to the lower ends of the guide bars 45 and adapted to engage the underside of the horn, as shown in Fig. 4.

On its underside the carrier 44 is provided with a longitudinal groove 50 in which is secured, `by screws 51, an upper flattening block 52 which has a longitudinal groove 53 adapted to receive the interengaging edge portions of the blank and co-operate with the tool on the horn for seaming and flattening the'joint or seam between the edges of the blank.

0n the upper side of the carrier are mounted two lower die holders 54, 557 forming part of the means for iiiroducing hooks on the longitudinal edges of the blank. Each ot' these lower die holders is pivoted at its front end to the carrier by a vertical screw 56 which enables these die holders to be turned horizontally into different angular positions relative to each other for seaming cone shaped tubes of different angularity. For this purpose the carrier is provided at its rear end with two rows of adjusting openings 57, each row being concentric with one of the pivot screws 56 and one another being adapted to receive a clamping screw 58 on the rear end of the respective lower die holder to fasten the same in its working position.

On its upper side the lower left die holder is provided with a longitudinal groove 59 which receives a lower left hook die 60 forming partof the means for producing the upstanding hook or flange 25 on the blank and a gage V61 which is somewhat higher than' the die and arranged between the die 60 and the right wall of the groove 59, said die and gage being held in this groove by one or more set screws 62 arranged on the inner part of' this holder. On its upper side the lower right die holder is provided with a longitudinal groove 63 the left portion of which receives a right gage 64, the central portion a somewhat lower spacer 65 and the right portion a lower right die 66 which is oit less height than the gage 64 but higher than the spacer 65, these several members being secured in this groove by one or more fastening screws 67 arranged on the lett wall of this holder.

Above the intermediate carrier is arranged a platen 68 which is secured to the lower end oi the slide or plunger of the press so as to reciprocate vertically therewith and which supports on its underside two upper holders 69, 70 which carry means adapted to cooperate with the means on the lower holders for producing the hooks or flanges 25, 26 on the longitudinal edges of the blank preparatory to seauiing them together. These upper holders are pivoted at their front ends to the `platen bby Ascrews 71 so .that 'they can be turned horizontally into various angular positions relatively to yeach other, and the same may be 4retained in lthese positions by adjusting screws 7 2 passing through the rear ends of these holders and one another pair of ftwo curved rows of openings in the rear part of the pla-ten, each row being concentric with one of the pivot screws 71.

The upper left holder 69 is provided on its underside with a groove 74 in which is secured a punch 7 'by means of clamping screws 76 on the adjacent part of thev upper left holder which punch is adapted to cooperate with the lower left die `for lproducing the left upstanding hook or flange 25 on the blank. The upper right holder 7 O is provided on its underside with a groove 761 the inner part of which receives a right punch 77` and the outer parta spacer 78 of less height than the punch 77 and held therein by one or more clamping screws 79 arranged on the inner wall of said holder, said punch being adapted to co-operate with the die of the lower right holder for producing the right hook or flange 26 on the blank.

Operation.

' When the pressl is open the operator places a. blank previously bent into tubular 'form around the horn and intermediate carn rier and engages the left and right longitudinal edges of the blank with the left andr right gages 61,64, as shown in Fig. 4. Upon now starting the press the upper platen first blank is gripped between the tools of they upper and lower holders then the further downward movement of the platen causes the intermediate carrier to also descend until the latter engages with the upper side of the horn, at which time the final pressure is exerted by the punches and dies on the blank for finishing theformation of the hooks or flanges, as shown in Fig. 5.

The press is now opened so that the intermediate carrier rises from the lower horn and the platen rises from the intermediate carrier, thereby releasing the blank on which the flanges have been formed on the longitudinal edges thereof. The operator now removes the flanged blank from the lower die holders and places the same around the horn with the hooks on its longitudinal edges loosely interlocked. In order to permit the attendant to place the blank in the proper position on `the horn for subsequent `opera.-

-tion of the flattening and seaming means, the

Feperator first places the left edge of "the blank engagement with the left side of the gage 40 and then lhooks the -right flange 26 over the 'left flange 25. During the first part of the subsequent downward' movement `of the upper flattening block, as shown in Fig.`

7. While thus completing the seaming operation on the cone the gage 40 recedes to the groove of the horn under the pressure of the upper flattening block, as shown in F ig. 7, but is again raised into its projecting position when the pressure of the upper fiattening block is removed.

It. is thus possible to utilize one press for forminghooks on the blank and then inter@ locking and seaming them together by two successive operations of the press, thereby reducing the amount of machinery for producing this work, also enabling the operator to perform this work easier and with greater expedition, and also reducing the investment for doing this class of work.

Moreover, this apparatus can be applied as an attachment to the .standard formsv of presses now in general use and thereby avoids the expense of installing special presses for this purpose. f

l claim as my invention:

l. In a machine of the character described,

the combination ofy two supports movable 1 relatively to one another, a pair of tool kholders mounted on each support and adapt-2 ed Vto cooperate with the tool holders of the other pair, and means for changing the angularity of the holders of each pair rela.- tively to one another.;

' 2. ln a machine of the character described,

the combination of two supports movable relatively to one another, a pair 'of tool holders mounted on each support and adapted to co-operate with the tool holders of the other pair, and means for changing the angularity ofthe holders of each pair relatively `to one another, consisting of a pivot `connecting one end of each holder with its support, and a screw adapted to connect the other end ofeach holderwith dierent parts of its support. f n

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two supports movable relatively to one another, a pair of tool holders mounted oneach support and adapted to eo-operate with the tool holders of the other pair, and means for changing the angularty of the holders of each pair relatively to one another, two corresponding,r tools of said pairs of holders being adapted to produce a downstanding flange on one edge of a sheet metal blank and two other corresponding tools of said pairs, beingz,r adapted to produce an upstandng flange on another edge of said sheet of metal.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BROR J. LINDGREN. 

